Strawbery Plains Tenn

                                                                                                            March 28^th 1864

 

Dear Brother Will

                                    Your very kind and affectionate letter of March the 10^th came to hand, duly, and its contents thoroughly perused read, and reread, was truly a milange. Well, yours found me improving in point of health, as Spring approaches, and the weather gets warmer, my health gets better. A warm climate suits one best, so I find. In regard to my complaint, you spoke of. It has been a chronick Diarhea, and weakness of the spine, a good deal like I was when at home Spring before last. I guess it is the same then but not so bad as then. Last Spring I was down with it for a month or so.—I have not been so bad with it this spring.

I feel pretty well now—Encouraged greatly Nick Bradshaw Now about geting out of the service the 1^st of June we think we will be mustered out by that time, though, do not know. If we are mustered out from the time the Regt was accepted it will be the 1^st of June if not until we were sworn into the service it will be the 4^th of August—Thus you see how the case stands. As to furlough time I do not know whether we will be allowed that or not—If we are—allowing 1 month for each year—our time would be out in May—but orders are orders, we know nothing about this only conjecture, and speculation.—Though I give it as my opinion that we will be mustered out the 1^st of June—We number in the Regt about 275 men—here for duty. Our Co numbers 31 here for duty—and that is more than has been here in the co since the Chicamonga battle—Most of the time we No. about 18 to 21 till the last few days.

 

Well now as to the President, Election, Politics &c. Tis rather mixed Some are for Lincoln some wants Grant, some McLellan some one, and some another. Old Abe stands about as good a sight as any one else. I say hurrah “for Lincoln!!!” or any other man that will make a good President! Look out! there will be four parties in this campaign—I shall be guided more as the time approaches for the selection of Candidates at the different conventions—I think I will be at home in time for us to discuss this question together. I hope so at least.—

 

As to study. I have not been studying anything—recollect we have been engaged in an active campaign since the 24^th of last June—we have not been in one settled place over 3 weeks at a time since then and then all that I had, I had to carry on my back—so you see I have had a poor chance to take books along with me to study in—I feel that I have lost a great deal. Oh!

 

Now as to your trading &c, &c some of it I like, and some of it I dont—I dont like the idea of your thinking about buying the piece of land there of Jim Morgans—Tis no place to build on. I think then tis very high, too. I know that he can do better than to buy it—To tell you the truth I was in hopes that he would sell entirely out and move away from the neighborhood—Will, he does not need a large farm now, for he is not able with his force to tend a large farm. Why dont you advise him to get a small farm and settle down on it, the few remaining days he has to live, and not trade and speculate so largely—There is not so many in family as to be very expensive, like it use to be—It seems to me the money you have made this last Winter would give a start to him again if judiciously managed—And why not?

 

But dont buy Of Jim Morgan. you can do better—and John Jarvis tells me that he is going to sell out his mill place and buy a farm out in the Prarie near Milton. I like that well Twill be a good move for him—As to the fencing of that 480 of BF’s I do not know whether you can make anything by it or not—Go into it if you think it will pay, but be careful—tis a speculation—In all this trading and speculation what part do you play and what do you get as your share? anything or nothing?! I am glad you got rid of those cattle—I was afraid you would loose on them—corn was so high—

 

I am in hopes that you and father will be prosperous in your trading—Dont trade on Sunday or do any kind of business on that holy day—this is a useless hint to you I know, but then—Has John Winkler gone to “ye front” yet—

 

Well now about my reenlisting On or about the 1^st of Jan the excitement got up in our Brig. and Regt to about going into the Veteran service so we tried to see if we could take the regt home as a Veteran regt but found only a part of 4 or 5 Co’s would reenlist ‘E’ Co was one that could take 3/4 of her (then) present strength—(12 men) so the regt could not go enough to hold the organization—so we pulled and hauled along with it trying to get enough to go to hold the organization but found we could not, untill the 29^th Jan at Maryvill then the order came that all Co’s having 3/4 of their present strength reenlisting should go home immediatly, so our Co started and got as far as London then we was ordered back and back we went to Maryville—We had our furlough! Served as Veterans 8 days!!! We were not sworn into the service though. So you see I am not a Veteran yet. Bully! Nor in the Vettran service nor wont be. I intend to come home and see you before I ever go into the service again—I value your company as high as you possibly can mine—I had an object in trying to reenlist that I will explain when I see you—Your letter revealed to me many things that I wanted to know. Will I had long ago thought that there was something “rotten in Denmark” I kept making inquiries but got no answers, till in yours, the last—I wish you had said something about it long ago—It hurt me Will, I tell you it does the poor little children—and then our poor Brother Alexander—his money all gone to naught! She will reap the reward of her perfidy. Ah, Will, there is the disgrace What do the people generally think about it and what do they say? Oh another Maggie Vernon on us.

 

Will I shall have (to) quit writing the wind is blowing the smoke so into my tent that I can hardly see the line—I shall have to leave untold something this time I have sent for 1 dozen Gold Pens and if you had not bought one I would have sent you one—may be I will any how—Cousin Jack West has not got back to the Co yet—He was at Nashville when last heard from—he was coming to the co then, nearly well—Zack Campbell enjoys health—so does Jim Wallace. Jim is as fat as a frog! Will Give my respects to all the friends—Tell Mary A Saunder & Bob Strickland that I wish them much joy if they marry—Tis a goodmatch—Write soon and often

 

                                                            Your Brother

                                                                        John

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